Dot Net reader Edward Kirby attended the WWE Smackdown taping in Baton Rouge and passed along the following report.

Pre-show notes: The Baton Rouge River Center is a small venue, but not small enough to keep from moving all kinds of people around to make the place look full. Everything from behind the WM26 sign around the hard camera side was tarped off on the top level.

There were problems with tickets and seating as a result. I was moved from the mid-level section on the left side of the entrance ramp where it forks around the ring to the floor level right next to the production/pyro area.

WWE Smackdown taping

There was a botch on the Titantron during the SD! intro sequence. Guess even the Tron team has an off moment.

1. Rey Mysterio beat CM Punk (w/ Luke Gallows and Serena) via pinfall. Huge pop for Rey. I couldn't tell if Punk got initial heat, but damn Serena is hot. A lot of fun, continuous action throughout the match. Watch for referee Mike Chioda's reaction Punk whiffing a slide on Rey in the Tree of Woe. Funny stuff. The crowd erupted when Rey reversed the GTS into a huracanrana. Pretty good post-match beatdown by the Straight Edge Society, and they got massive heat as they walked back up the ramp.

Batista's explanation was advertised as "Next" but wasn't until much later in the show. So we got Drew McIntyre instead. Pretty cool entrance music, as I thought it was just a hype vid. He drew plenty of heat in the ring, and cut a promo saying he was "Undefeated....unstoppable" and that he didn't care who his opponent was. Enter Kane to a good pop.

2. Drew McIntyre fought Kane to a double countout. Drew tried to back out as the referee was insisting the match was on. The match eventually spilled to the outside for a double countout. They took it back to the ring, where Kane got in a chokeslam and did his pyro routine (which, surprisingly, much of the crowd mimicked).

During the Mickie James and LayCool segment, huge LOLs for the cottage cheese on Vickie Guerrero. Even Tony Chimel got a good laugh out of it. The crowd didn't give a damn about Layla when she came out, but popped hard for James. Vickie came out still covered with cottage cheese (and dripping onto the stage) and announced the Handicap match.

3. Michelle McCool and Layla defeated Mickie James in a handicap match. Decent reaction when McRibs hit the Styles Clash.

One guy got busted for recording the match, but was let off on a warning. Big pop for Batista still walking backstage. I don't know how that's gonna play on TV.

After a recap video of what happened post-Raw with Cena last week, Batista came out to a more mixed reaction which turned into boos as he took the ring. Matthews asked him what provoked him to attack John Cena last week, and why he walked out on his Chamber qualifying match last week. Batista stared him out of the ring, walked around the ring for a bit, sat on the turnbuckle, left the ring, got into it with a fan wearing a Cena shirt (which the crowd marked hard for). He got back into the ring, dropped the mic, walked back up the ramp, back to the ring, dropped the mic again, then walked to the back. That was badass live but probably will seem like a waste of time on TV.

Teddy Long came out and announced that Batista would face Edge to a chorus of cheers. Next week...which drew plenty of boos.

4. Matt Hardy and The Great Khali defeated the Hart Dynasty.Hardy and Khali came out. Hardy introduced his valentine, Maria. Hart dynasty came out. Hardy rolled up Kidd and won on what looked like a two count, after a fun Natalia/Maria scrum that set up some interference. Short match.

5. R-Truth beat John Morrison via ref stoppage due to an injury to Morrison's ankle in :57 seconds. A good show of sportsmanship by Truth helping Morrison up and out of the ring.

The backstage crew put out carpet on top of the stage and down the ramp. I didn't understand why until I realized later that Undertaker's smoke might cause condensation on the floor, which may cause people running in to interfere to slip and get hurt. I think that's why, at least.

Edge came out to a good face pop, and cut an Elimination Chamber promo about who he could face. He ran down a list of names and reasons, when Jericho came down. His music hit, and I turned around just in time to catch pyro in the eye. Fun being blinded for the next minute. Jericho said that Edge better not face him at 'Mania, because bad luck happens to Edge around him. Taker came out, and Edge sat at commentary.

6. Chris Jericho pinned The Undertaker in 9:00 in a No DQ, non-title match. The crowd popped for the (don't shoot me) "Vintage Undertaker" moves in the legdrop on the apron, and a near Old School attempt. The crowd gasped and cheered when Taker clocked Edge with the big boot, and a huge pop for the Last Ride on Jericho, only for Taker to turn around into a spear by Edge. The ref sent Edge to the back, Taker got up and Jericho hit the Codebreaker for the pin. The air was sucked right out of the crowd.

Dark Match

1. Undertaker beat Batista to retain the WHC in 4:15. Batista did the staredown/do nothing routine for a minute or two until Taker took the offensive. Jericho came out and hit the Codebreaker. Hardy came down and hit the Twist of Fate on Jericho. The S.E.S. came out and Punk hit the GTS on Hardy. Kane came out and cleaned house and chokeslammed Punk, only to be speared by Batista. Taker hit a chokeslam on Batista for the pin. That's how you send me home happy. The Brothers of Destruction celebrate in the ring and up the ramp to close the show.

Aside: I got a fist pump from Matt Striker during the dark match. Awesome. :D

Again, the Who Dats rained down from the stands all night and you'll see the wrestlers take advantage of that for some cheap pops. Marvin Hermanstyne may groan some more, and maybe rightfully so since (IIRC) he picked the Colts to win big. Who Dat, baby! Who Dat!

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